Travel Insurance For Sailing 2025

Looking for travel insurance for sailing?

We can’t tell you whether or not you need to buy travel insurance for sailing, but we will tell you that we do. If you’re on the hunt for sailing insurance then there are a few things we’ve learned from our thorough research into the topic!

We delve into some of the things you might want to look out for when choosing the right cover for you but remember we’re definitely not insurance experts and every sailor will need something slightly different from their policy.

This makes it more important than ever to do your research before pulling the trigger on a policy. If you get confused by the pages and pages of legal talk then you might even want to call the insurance provider to ask the specific questions you need answers to.

After sailing full time for four years now we’ll do our best to answer your questions (or give you more questions to think about anyway!)

If you’re interested to find out more about the fascinating topic of sailing insurance then feel free to read on!

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Why Buy Travel Insurance For Sailing?

Having sailed around the Med for 4 years now we’ve met a lot of other cruisers, with a lot of salty stories.

One thing we won’t be taking any risks with is our health while we’re out on the water – there have just been way too many horror stories that have persuaded us insurance for sailing is vital.

Honestly, I don’t want to go into some of the things we’ve heard, but if you fancy having a read of all the things that can go wrong when you travel then knock yourself out (not literally, unless you have travel insurance for that).

One person’s second-hand story is another person’s tragedy and I’m not sure hearing and recounting these stories has been at all good for my anxiety out here.

What has been good is knowing we’re covered if anything does go wrong. That peace of mind is priceless.

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Skip To

If you’re just after a quote from a travel insurance company then you can grab that below from SafetyWing. Safety Wing provides emergency medical travel insurance designed for digital nomads who are on the road regularly.

Or check out the menu to do a little more digging.

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Table of Contents

• What’s covered in your sailing insurance policy?
• How To Get Your Insurance For Sailing
• What’s Not Covered In Your Sailing Insurance?

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What’s Covered In My Sailing Insurance?

Without going into too much detail, here are some of the things your sailing insurance may cover you for (depending on which policy you go for)

• Evacuation if it’s urgent and medically necessary (by helicopter if medically necessary and available);
• Emergency medical expenses overseas for treatment at the hospital or local medical facility and/or;
• Repatriation home if you’re injured and unable to continue your trip.

It’s horrible to think that these things could ever be needed, but it really isn’t all plain sailing out here and it’s so much better to be prepared in case things do go south.

You must, must, must read the small print in your insurance policy. I was shocked to find that the quote I was given for sailing insurance from a well-known company did not include sailing insurance cover for me to actually sail the boat myself.

To be covered by the so-called sailing insurance I didn’t just need the right qualification, I needed a sailing instructor or charter captain to be sailing the boat for me!

It took a long time for me to find an insurance provider that would cover me for the sailing lifestyle I wanted to embark on.

SafetyWing is one travel insurer that will cover you for any period of time and they have a HUGE list of activities they can cover you for. It’s a really easy to navigate site, so you don’t feel like you’re being bamboozled by lots of industry talk.

✅ Look into SafetyWing emergency medical travel insurance here

How To Get Your Insurance For Sailing

It really is as simple as adding sailing on your policy when you sign up for it (as long as have the correct skipper qualifications from an accredited company – but I’m guessing you don’t want to charter a sailboat if you don’t!)

You will need to know a bit about where you’ll be sailing though, such as inside or outside coastal waters, as there are some special conditions and exclusions to this cover depending on what type of sailing you’ll be doing, so be aware of this.

For example, depending on which insurance provider you use you might not be covered for race sailing or if you’re getting paid to lead a sailing trip.

You will also need some personal details so the insurance provider can make sure you qualify for the plan you’re after. Things like countries you’re travelling in, age, and pre-existing medical conditions are important to get correct.

Once you’ve found the right plan for you, simply go ahead a purchase!

Some plans will insure you for only the specified dates, and others like SafetyWing are on a monthly contract that you can cancel at any time. If you’re a regular traveller you can rest in peace that your contract is still valid until you decide to settle back at home!

✅ You can get a quote from SafetyWing here

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What’s Not Covered In Your Sailing Insurance?

Obviously, the policy can’t cover every worst-case scenario, so you should take the time to read all the terms and conditions before you buy so you don’t get caught out.

Here are some of the main things that might not be covered, but remember I’m not the insurance provider (even if I am very trustworthy!) so make sure you read this all from them too.

The main things you might not find on your sailing insurance are:

• Your personal liability while you’re sailing/yachting.
• Sailing /yachting at a professional level i.e. you are being paid or sponsored.
• You are competing at international events as a national representative.
• ‘Search and rescue’ if you become lost at sea or at any other time.
• Anything else that’s listed in the General Exclusions, Specific Exclusions, and any other exclusions in the policy

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Conclusion: Travel Insurance For Sailing

Remember as well that this is insurance for you while you’re sailing, not for your sailboat.

I’ll get into insurance for your sailboat in another post, but (although it might not seem like it sometimes) you are far more valuable than your boat, so make sure you’re protected above all else and get your insurance for sailing before you even think about hopping on a plane!

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All of the information provided about travel insurance is a brief summary only. It does not include all terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions and termination provisions of the travel insurance plans described. Coverage may not be available for residents of all countries, states or provinces. Please carefully read your policy wording for a full description of coverage.